-IV- Materialism Revisited

In the first chapter of this book, we looked at the regime of Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and came to some important conclusions about its philosophical underpinnings. The most interesting feature of Ancient Egyptian thought, as we said, is that it was materialist, that is, posited the belief that matter is eternal and uncreated. In their book The Hiram Key, Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas have some important things to say on this matter that are worth repeating:

The Egyptians believed that matter had always existed; to them it was illogical to think of a god making something out of absolutely nothing. Their view was that the world began when order came out of chaos, and that ever since there has been a battle between the forces of organization and disorder…This chaotic state was called Nun, and like the Sumerian …descriptions …, all was a dark, sunless watery abyss with a power, a creative force within it that commanded order to begin. This latent power which was within the substance of the chaos did not know it existed; it was a probability, a potential that was intertwined within the randomness of disorder.59

There is a striking similarity between the myths of Ancient Egypt and modern materialist thinking. A hidden reason for this interesting fact is that, there is a modern organization that has adopted these Ancient Egyptian beliefs, and aims to establish them throughout the world. This organization is Masonry…

Masons and Ancient Egypt

The Ancient Egyptians believed in the myth that matter was eternal, and that the order of the universe arose due to a mythical "self-organizational" power of matter.

The Ancient Egyptian materialist philosophy continued to exist after this civilization disappeared. It was adopted by certain Jews and kept alive within Kabbalist doctrine. On the other hand, a number of Greek thinkers adopted the same philosophy, and reinterpreted it and perpetuated it as the school of thought known as "Hermeticism."

The word Hermeticism comes from the name of Hermes, the Greek counterpart for the Ancient Egyptian god "Thoth." In other words, Hermeticism is the Ancient Greek version of Ancient Egyptian philosophy.

Master Mason Selami Isindag explains the origins of this philosophy and its place in modern Masonry:

In Ancient Egypt there was a religious society that bequeathed a system of thought and belief to Hermeticism. Masonry held something similar to this. For example, those who had come to a certain level attended ceremonies of the society, revealed their spiritual thoughts and feelings and trained those who were at a lower level. Pythagoras was a Hermeticist trained among them. Again, the organization and the philosophical systems of the Alexandrian school and of Neoplatonism had their origins in Ancient Egypt and there are some significant similarities between them and Masonic rites.60

Isindag is much more overt about the influence of Ancient Egypt on the origins of Masonry when he declares, "Freemasonry is a social and ritual organization whose beginnings go back to Ancient Egypt."61

Many other Masonic authorities maintain that the origins of Masonry go back to secret societies of ancient pagan cultures, such as those of Ancient Egypt and Greece. A senior Turkish Mason, Celil Layiktez, stated in an article in Mimar Sinan magazine entitled, "The Masonic Secret: What is Secrecy and What is Not?":

In Ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman civilizations there were mystery schools (écoles de mystères) which met in the context of a particular science, gnosis or secret knowledge. Members of these mystery schools were accepted only after a long period of study and initiation ceremonies. Among these schools, the first is thought to have been the school of "Osiris" based on the events of this god's birth, youth, struggle against darkness, death and resurrection. These themes were ritually dramatized in ceremonies performed by clergy and in this way the rituals and symbols being presented were much more effective because of the actual participation…

Years later, these rites formed the first circles of a series of initiated brotherhoods that would continue under the name of Masonry. Such brotherhoods always established the same ideals and, when under oppression, were able to lead their lives secretly. They were able to survive to the present-day because they continually changed their names and their forms. But they remained faithful to ancient symbolism and their particular character and passed their ideas on to each other as a legacy. In order to mitigate against the possibility that their established ideas may threaten the establishment, they established secret laws among themselves. In order to protect themselves from the wrath of ignorant people, they took refuge in Operative Masonry which contained the discreet rules of their own trade. They inseminated this with their ideas which later influenced the formation of the modern Speculative Masonry we know today.62

In the above quotation, Layiktez praises the societies that were the origin of Masonry, and claims they kept themselves hidden to protect themselves from "ignorant people." If we can leave aside this subjective claim for a moment, we can understand from the quotation above that Masonry is a present-day representation of societies that were founded in the ancient pagan civilizations of Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome. Of these three civilizations, the oldest is Egypt; it is possible, therefore, to say that the main source of Masonry is Ancient Egypt. (We saw earlier that basic connection between this pagan tradition and modern Masons is the Templars.)

It is necessary to recall at this point that Ancient Egypt was one of the most referred to examples of a godless system as revealed by Allah in the Qur'an. It is the true archetype of an evil system. Many verses relate to us of the pharaohs that governed Egypt and their inner-circles, their cruelty, injustice, wickedness and excesses. Moreover, the Egyptians were a perverse people, that acquiesced to the system of their pharaohs, and believed in their false gods.

Despite this, Masons maintain that their origins lie in Ancient Egypt, and regard that civilization as praiseworthy. An article published in Mimar Sinan praises the temples of Ancient Egypt as the "source of Masonic craft":

…The Egyptians founded Heliopolis (the Sun City) and Memphis and according to Masonic legend, these two cities were the source of knowledge and science, that is, as the Masons would say "Great Light." Pythagoras, who visited Heliopolis, had much to say about the temple. The Memphis temple where he had been trained has historical significance. In the city of Thebes there were advanced schools. Pythagoras, Plato and Cicero were initiated into

Masonic writings do not laud Ancient Egypt merely in broad terms; they express praise and sympathy for the pharaohs who governed that cruel system. In another article from Mimar Sinan magazine it is stated:

The basic duty of the pharaoh was to find Light. To exalt Hidden Light in a much more vivid and powerful way….As we Masons are trying to construct the Temple of Solomon, so did the Ancient Egyptians try to build Ehram, or the House of Light. The ceremonies performed in the temples of Ancient Egypt were divided into several degrees. These degrees had two sections, small and great. The small degree was divided into one, two and three; after these the Great degrees began.64

It can be seen from this that the "light" which the pharaohs of ancient Egypt and Masons search for is the same . This can also be interpreted as suggesting that Masonry is a modern representative of the philosophy of the Egyptian pharaohs. The nature of this philosophy is revealed by Allah in the Qur'an in the judgment He passed over Pharaoh and his people: "They are a people of deviators."(Surat an-Naml: 12)

In other verses, the godless system of Egypt is described in this way:

Pharaoh called to his people, saying, "My people, does the kingdom of Egypt not belong to me? Do not all these rivers flow under my control? Do you not then see?" (Surat az-Zukhruf: 51)

In that way he swayed his people and they succumbed to him. They were a people of deviators. (Surat az-Zukhruf: 54)

Ancient Egyptian Symbols in Masonic Lodges

One of the most important things that establishes the relation between Ancient Egypt and the Masons is their symbols.

Symbols are very important in Masonry. Masons reveal the true meaning of their philosophy to their members through allegory. A Mason, who advances stage by stage through the 33 degrees of the Masonic hierarchy, learns new meanings for each symbol at every stage. In this way, members descend step by step into the depths of Masonic philosophy.

An article in Mimar Sinan magazine describes this function of their symbols:

We all know that Masonry expresses its ideas and ideals by means of symbols and stories, that is, allegories. These stories go back to the first ages of history. We can even say that they stretch back to legends of prehistory. In this way, Masonry has shown the antiquity of its ideals and has gained a rich source of symbols.65

Pharaoh in The Lodge

Modern Masonry preserved Ancient Egyptian philosophy and uses symbols to give it expression. In the above photograph of a lodge, the Pharaoh's image on the front of the altar is an example of this symbolism.

At the entrance of the Grand Masonic Lodge in Washington D. C. there are two Ancient Egyptian sphinxes.

Left and below:
Representations of Masonic temples

A depiction of the Ancient Egyptian city of Memphis. The Masons regard this city, with its numerous pagan temples, as the "source of light."

The conceptions of the Ancient Egyptians are the most prominent of these symbols and legends, that stretch back to the first ages of history. Everywhere in Masonic lodges, and frequently in Masonic publications, drawings of pyramids and sphinxes and hieroglyphs can be found. In an article in Mimar Sinan magazine, about the ancient sources of Masonry, it states:

If we choose Ancient Egypt as the "most ancient" I don't think we will be mistaken. Moreover, the fact that the ceremonies, degrees and philosophy found in Ancient Egypt are most similar to those in Masonry draws our attention there first.66

Again, an article in Mimar Sinan entitled "The Social Origins and Aims of Freemasonry" says:

In ancient times in Egypt, the initiation ceremonies in the temple of Memphis lasted a long time, were performed with the greatest attention and splendor, and showed many similarities to Masonic ceremonies.67

Let us examine a few examples of the relationship between Ancient Egypt and Masonry:

The Pyramid Under the Eye

The most well known Masonic symbol is found on the seal of the United States of America, also found on the one-dollar bill. On this seal there is a half pyramid above which sits an eye within a triangle. This eye within the triangle is a symbol constantly found in Masonic lodges and all Masonic publications. A great number of the writings that deal with the subject of Masonry stress this fact.

The pyramid below the eye in the triangle attracts relatively little notice. However, this pyramid is extremely meaningful and enlightening for the understanding of the philosophy of Masonry. An American author, Robert Hieronimus, wrote a doctoral thesis on the United States' seal in which he provided some very important information. The title of Hieronimus' thesis was "An Historic Analysis of the Reverse of the American Great Seal and Its Relationship to the Ideology of Humanist Psychology." His thesis shows that the founders of America, who originally adopted the seal, had been Masons, and that they, therefore, espoused the humanist philosophy. The connection of this philosophy with Ancient Egypt is symbolized by the pyramid placed in the center of the seal. This pyramid is a representation of the Pyramid of Cheops, the largest of the Pharaoh's tombs.68

The Eye and The Pyramid

Among the most important Masonic symbols taken from Ancient Egypt is the pyramid with an eye within a triangle. The pyramid on the Great Seal of the USA (left) is the great pyramid of Cheops. The eye is a frequent symbol on Ancient Egyptian engravings. (bottom)

The Masonic Meaning of the Six Pointed Star

One of Masonry's most important symbols is the six-pointed star.

Another well-known symbol of Masonry is the six pointed star, formed by the imposition of one triangle over another. This is also a traditional symbol of the Jews, and today appears on the flag of Israel. It is known that the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) used it as a seal for the first time. Therefore the six-pointed star is a seal of a prophet, a Divine symbol.

But, Masons have a different conception. They do not accept the six-pointed star as a symbol of the Prophet Solomon (pbuh), but as a symbol of Ancient Egyptian paganism. An article in Mimar Sinan entitled "Allegory and Symbols in our Rituals" relates a number of interesting facts about this matter:

An equilateral triangle with three points equidistant from one another show that these values are equivalent. This symbol adopted by the Masons is known as the Star of David; it is a hexagram formed by the imposition of one equilateral triangle on another. Today it is known as the symbol of Judaism and appears on the flag of Israel. But actually, the origin of this symbol is in Ancient Egypt….This emblem was first created by the Templar Knights which they began to use as symbolism in wall decoration in their churches. This is because they were the first ones to discover in Jerusalem some important facts about Christianity. After the Templars were disposed of, this emblem began to be used in synagogues. But in Masonry, we no doubt use this symbol in the universal sense that it had in Ancient Egypt. In this sense, we have combined two important forces together. If you erase the upper and lower bases of the two equilateral triangles, you will find this rare symbol that you know very well.69

Actually, we must interpret all Masonic symbols in relation to Solomon's Temple in this way. As revealed in the Qur'an, like other prophets, the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) was a blessed prophet who some wished to slander. In a verse of the Qur'an, Allah says,"They follow what the satans recited in the reign of Solomon. Solomon did not become unbeliever, but the satans did…"(Surat al-Baqara: 102)

The six-pointed star is the seal of a Prophet and a Divine symbol. However, Masons interpret it according to the pagan beliefs of Ancient Egypt.

Masons have adopted this corrupt idea mistakenly attributed to the Prophet Solomon (pbuh). For this reason, they afford him an important place in their doctrines. In his book The Occult Conspiracy, the American historian Michael Howard says that, since the Middle Ages, the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) (Allah forbid) has been regarded by various ignorant people as a magician and as one who introduced some pagan ideas into Judaism.70 Howard explains that the Masons regard the Temple of Solomon as being in their eyes a "pagan temple," and as important for this reason.71

This false image fabricated against the Prophet Solomon (pbuh), who was a devout and obedient servant of Allah, shows the true origins of Masonry.

The Double Column

An indispensable part of the décor of a Masonic lodge is the double column in the entrance. The words "Jachin" and "Boaz" are inscribed on them, in imitation of the two columns at the entrance to Solomon's Temple. But actually, the Masons do not intend these columns as a memorial to the Prophet Solomon (pbuh); they are an expression of those corrupt insinuations against the Prophet Solomon (pbuh). The origins of these columns again go back to Ancient Egypt. In the article entitled "Allegory and Symbols in our Rituals," Mimar Sinan magazine states:

For example, in Egypt, Horus and Set were twin architects and supports of the heavens. Even Bacchus in Thebes was one too. The two columns in our lodges have their origin in Ancient Egypt. One of these columns was in the south of Egypt in the city of Thebes; the other was in the north in Heliopolis. In the entrance to the Amenta temple dedicated to Ptah, the chief god of Egypt, there were two columns as in the temple of Solomon. In the oldest myths associated with the sun, two columns are mentioned, named intelligence and power, erected in front of the gate of the entrance to eternity.72

Various Masonic symbols: The double column, the eye, and the compass and the square.

The Egyptian Terminology of the Lodges

In their book, The Hiram Key, two British Masonic authors, Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas, drew attention to the Ancient Egyptian roots of Masonry. One interesting point they reveal is that the words used in the ceremony in which a Mason is made to rise to the degree of Master Mason are:

Knight and Lomas explain that these words are used most of the time without any thought to their meaning, but they are Ancient Egyptian words and mean,

"Great is the established Master of Freemasonry, Great is the Spirit of Freemasonry."74

The authors state that the word "Ma'at means the skill of wall building, and that the nearest translation is "Masonry." This means that modern Masons, thousands of years later, still conserve the language of Ancient Egypt in their lodges.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart's Magic Flute

One of the more interesting products of Masonry is the Magic Flute, an opera by the famous composer, Mozart. Mozart was a Mason, and it is an acknowledged fact that many parts of this opera contain Masonic messages. The interesting matter is that these Masonic messages are closely related to Ancient Egyptian paganism. Mimar Sinan explains it in this way:

It is known that there is a clear connection between Ancient Egyptian and Masonic rituals. No matter how much those who attempted to interpret the Magic Flute as "a story about the Far East," at its foundation are Egyptian rituals. It is the gods and goddesses of the Egyptian temples that influenced the creation of the characters of the Magic Flute.75

Obelisks

An obelisk covered with Masonic symbols in New York's Central Park.

Another important symbol of Masonry is what was once an important element in Ancient Egyptian architecture—the obelisk. An obelisk is a tall, vertical tower with a pyramid as its peak. Obelisks were inscribed with Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, and lay buried for centuries under the ground until they were discovered in the nineteenth century, and removed to Western cities such as New York, London and Paris. The largest obelisk was sent to the USA. This exportation was arranged by Masons. This was because obelisks, as well as the Ancient Egyptian figures inscribed on them, are claimed by Masons as being really their own symbols. Mimar Sinan avers this about the 21-meter high obelisk in New York:

The most striking instance of the symbolic use of architecture is the monument called Cleopatra's needle, given to the US as a gift in 1878 by the Egyptian Governer Ismail. This monument is now in Central Park. Its surface is covered with Masonic emblems. This monument was originally erected in the 16th century BC at the entrance to a temple of the Sun god, an initiation center in Heliopolis.76

The Legend of Isis—The Widow

An important symbolic idea in Masonry is that of the widow. Masons call themselves the children of the widow, and pictures of widows often appear in their publications. What is the origin of this idea? Who is this widow?

When we examine Masonic sources, we find that the symbol of the widow derives originally from an Egyptian legend. This legend is one of Ancient Egypt's most important myths—the story of Osiris and Isis. Osiris was an imaginary fertility god and Isis was his wife. According to the legend, Osiris died as a result of a crime of passion by which Isis became a widow. So, the Masonic widow is Isis. An article in Mimar Sinan explains the matter in the following way:

The Osiris-Isis legend is the topic of many articles and lectures and is the closest of the Ancient Egyptian myths to Masonry. The test to become a priest of the temple of Isis is the Masonic initiation itself. It would be tedious to have to repeat it. There, light was one of the most important elements; in order to be buried in the darkness of the East, the morning sun begins to descend after noon and takes on Osiris' duty every day, just like Horus who more brilliantly took the place of his murdered father. So, the "widow" whose children we are is none other than Osiris' widow Isis.77

We see that Masonry, which portrays itself as being founded on reason and science, is actually a mythological doctrine full of superstitious beliefs.

Remains from Ancient Egypt: Monuments of pharaohs with an obelisk rising in front of them in the Valley of the Kings.

An Ancient Egyptian depiction of Isis.

The Compass and Square

Among the most familiar symbols of Masonry is the compass superimposed over a square. If Masons are asked, they explain that this symbol represents the concepts of science, geometric order and rational thinking. However, the compass and square actually has quite a different meaning.

We can learn this from a book written by one of the greatest Masons of all time. In his book Morals and Dogma, Albert Pike wrote the following about the compass and square:

The square... is a natural and appropriate Symbol of this earth... The hermaphroditic figure is the symbol of the double nature anciently assigned to the Deity, as Generator and Producer, as Brahm and Maya among the Arians, Osiris and Isis among the Egyptians. As the Sun was male, so the Moon was female.78

This means that the compass and square, the most well known symbol of Masonry, is a symbol of Arian paganism and which dates back to Ancient Egypt or before the advent of Christianity. The moon and the sun, in the passage quoted from Pike, are important symbols in Masonic lodges, and are none other than a reflection of the false beliefs of those ancient pagan societies that worshipped the moon and the sun.

Masonry's Pagan Philosophy

The compass and square depicted with the eagle, one of Ancient Egypt's most important symbols.

So far, we have learned that Masonry's origins lie in a pagan doctrine that stretches back to Ancient Egypt, and that it is there that the true meaning of its concepts and symbols are hidden. For this reason, Masonry is in conflict with the monotheistic religions. It is humanist, materialist and evolutionist. The American historian Michael Howard describes this secret that is only completely revealed to those Masons of the highest degree:

Why should Christians be so critical of Freemasonry…? …[T]he answer to this question lies in the "secrets" of Freemasonry. If these secrets were readily available to the general public it is doubtful if their meaning would be understood to those who were not versed in the doctrines of occultism and ancient religion. In fact it is doubtful if many of the ordinary lodge members understand what its secrets represent. In the inner circle of Masonry, among those who have obtained higher degrees of initiation, there are Masons who understand that they are the inheritors of an ancient and pre-Christian tradition handed down from pagan times.79

When we look at the writing of Turkish Masonry, we see that Masons of the highest degree are in possession of knowledge that they keep hidden from the other brothers. The Master Mason Necdet Egeran describes what higher degree Masons think about this matter:

Some Masons even understand Masonry as only a kind of half religion, half charitable fraternal institution where they can establish pleasant social relationships and treat it accordingly. Others think that the purpose of Masonry is only to make good people better. Still others think that Masonry is a place to build character. In short, those who do not know how to read or write the sacred language of Masonry understand the meaning of its symbols and allegories in this way or some such similar way. But for a few Masons who are able to go deeply into it, Masonry and its goals are quite different. Masonry means a revealed knowledge, an initiation and a new beginning. It means leaving an old way of life and entering a new and still nobler life….Behind Masonry's elementary and basic symbolism there is a series of revelations that helps us to enter a higher inner life and to learn the secrets of our existence. So, it is in this inner life and the entrance into it that it is possible to reach the Enlightenment of Masonry. Only then does it become possible to learn the nature and conditions of progress and evolution.80

This quotation underlines that though a few Masons of lower degree think that Masonry is a charitable and social organization, it is actually about the secrets of human existence. That is, the outward appearance of Masonry as charitable or social organization is actually a guise to hide the philosophy of the organization. In reality, Masonry is an organization that aims to systematically impose a specific philosophy on its members as on the rest of society.

As we said at the beginning, the fundamental element of this philosophy, one which has transpired to Masonry from pagan cultures, especially that of Ancient Egypt, is materialism.

Albert Pike and a Masonic medallion produced in his memory.

Materialism in Masonic Sources

I. The Absolute Matter Error

Today's Masons, as did the pharaohs, priests and other classes of Ancient Egypt, believe in the eternity and uncreatedness of matter, and that out of this lifeless matter living things came to be by chance. In Masonic writings we can read detailed accounts of these basic errors of materialist philosophy.

All space, the atmosphere, the stars, nature, all animate and inanimate things are composed of atoms. Human beings are nothing more than a spontaneously occurring collection of atoms. A balance in the flow of electricity among atoms assures the survival of living things. When this balance is destroyed (not the electricity in the atoms), we die, return to the earth and are dispersed into atoms. That is, we have come from matter and energy and we will return to matter and energy. Plants make use of our atoms, and all living things including us make use of plants. Everything is made of the same substance. But because our brains are most highly evolved of all animals, consciousness appeared. If we look at the results of experimental psychology, we see that our three-fold psychic experience of emotion-mind-will is the result of the balanced functioning of the cells in the brain's cortex and hormones… Positivist science accepts that nothing came into existence from nothing, and nothing will be destroyed. As a result, it can be concluded that human beings feel grateful and obliged to no power. The universe is a totality of energy with no beginning or end. Everything is born from this totality of energy, evolving and dying, but never totally disappearing. Things change and are transformed. There is really no such thing as death or loss; there is continuous change, transformation and formation. But it is not possible to explain this great question and universal secret by means of scientific laws. But extra-scientific explanations are imaginary descriptions, dogma and vain belief. According to positivist science and reason, there is no spirit apart from the body.81

You will find views identical to those above in the books of materialist thinkers such as K. Marx, F. Engels, V .I. Lenin, G. Politzer, C. Sagan, and J. Monod. They all accept the basic materialist myth that the universe has existed for ever, matter is the one absolute existent entity, human beings are composed of matter and are without spirit, matter evolved in and out of itself, and life appeared as a result of chance. It is right to use the term myth because, contrary to Isindag's claim that "these processes are the result of positivist science and reason," all these views have been invalidated by scientific discoveries in the second half of the twentieth century. For example, the Big Bang theory, accepted in scientific circles as proven, shows scientifically that the universe was created from nothing millions of years ago. The Laws of Thermodynamics show that matter does not have the ability to organize itself and that the balance and order in the universe is the result therefore of a conscious Creation. By demonstrating the extraordinary structure of living things, biology proves the existence of a Creator, in other words Allah, Who made them all. (For detailed information, see Harun Yahya's The Creation of the Universe, Darwinism Refuted, The Evolution Deceit)

In his article, Isindag continues to explain that Masons are, in fact, materialists and, therefore, atheists, and that they use the concept of the "Great Architect of the Universe" in reference to a material evolution:

I want very briefly to touch on some principles, thoughts adopted by Masons: According to Masonry, life begins from a single cell, changes, is transformed and evolves into a human being. The nature, cause or purpose or conditions of this beginning cannot be known. Life comes from a combination of matter and energy and returns to it. If we accept the Great Architect of the Universe as a sublime principle, an endless horizon of goodness and beauty, the apex of the evolution, its highest stage and the ideal towards which human beings strive, and if we do not personalize it, we may be rescued from dogmatism.82

The materialist theories in Masonic literature are no different from those found in the writings of materialist ideologues such as Marx, Engels and Lenin.

As we see, one of the most basic principles of Masonic philosophy is that things come from matter and go back to matter. An interesting aspect of this view is that Masons do not regard this philosophy as particular to just themselves; they want to disseminate these ideas to the whole of society. Isindag continues:

A mason trained with these principles and doctrines accepts the duty to educate people... and to edify them by teaching them the principles of reason and positivist science. In this way, Masonry is addressed to people. It works on behalf of people despite the people.83

These words show two aspects of Masonry's perceived role in society;

Under the guise of positivist science and reason, Masonry attempts to impose on the rest of society the materialist philosophy it believes in (that is, Ancient Egyptian myth).

They intend to do this despite the people. That is, even if a society believes in Allah and has no desire to accept a materialist philosophy, Masonry will be dogged in their attempt to change people's world view without their consent.

There is an important matter that we must take notice of here: the terminology that Masons use is deceptive. In their writings, especially those directed at the rest of society, they employ language designed to show their philosophy as harmless, intelligent and tolerant. An example of this can be seen in the quotation above, in the notion of "edifying people by teaching them the principles of reason and positivist science." Indeed, Masonic philosophy has nothing to do with "science and reason"; it has to do with an outmoded myth that flies in the face of science. It is not Masonry's goal to edify people; their deliberate intention is to impose their philosophy on people. When they maintain that they are determined to do this despite the people, we see that they are not tolerant, but in possession of a totalitarian world-view.

II. Denial of the Existence of Spirit and of the Hereafter

Masons believe in materialism and reject the idea of life after death. Sometimes the concept of life after death appears in Masonic texts, but, as in the myth of Hiram depicted here (left), what is meant by it is the continuation of the memory of a person's name in this world.

As a part of their materialist beliefs, Masons do not accept the existence of the human spirit and completely reject the idea of the hereafter. In spite of this, Masonic writings sometimes say of the dead that they "passed over into eternity" or other such spiritual expressions. This may appear contradictory, but it is not, actually, because all of Masonry's references to the immortality of the spirit are symbolic. Mimar Sinan deals with this topic in an article entitled, "After Death in Freemasonry":

In the myth of Master Hiram, Masons accept resurrection after death in a symbolic manner. This resurrection shows that truth always prevails over death and darkness. Masonry does not give any importance to the existence of a spirit apart from the body. In Masonry, resurrection after death is to leave some spiritual or material work as a legacy to human beings. These make a human being immortal. Those who have been able to have their names immortalized in this deceptively short human life are those who have become successful. We regard those who have had their names immortalized as persons who have spent all their efforts, either for their contemporaries or for those generations that follow them, to make people happy and to ensure for them a more humane world. Their aim is to exalt the humane impulses that influence the lives of living people… Human beings who have sought immortality throughout the centuries can achieve it through the work they do, the services they perform and the ideas they produce, and this will give their lives meaning. As Tolstoy explained, "Paradise will then have been established here on earth and people will attain the highest possible good."84

On the same topic, Master Mason Isindag writes:

THE SUBSTANCE OF EVERYTHING: Masonry understands this as energy and matter. They say that everything changes stage by stage and will return again to matter. Scientifically, this is defined as death. Mysticism on this matter, that is, the belief that, of the two forces of which a person is composed—spirit and body—the body will die and the spirit will not; that spirits pass away to the world of spirits, continue their existence there and come back into another body when God commands, does not fit in with the change-transformation ideas accepted by Masonry. The ideas of Masonry on this matter can be expressed in this way: "After your death, the only things that will be left of you, and not die, are the memories of your maturity and what you have accomplished." This idea is a kind of philosophical way of thinking based on the principles of positivist science and reason. The religious belief in the immortality of the spirit and resurrection after death does not agree with positivist principles. Masonry has taken its principles of thought from positivist and rationalist philosophical systems. So, in this philosophical question, it is connected to a different way of thinking and explanation than that of religion.85

To reject resurrection after death and to search for immortality in worldly legacy... Even if Masons present this idea as being in conformity with modern science, it is, in fact, a myth that has been believed by godless people since the early ages of history. It is stated in the Qur'an that godless people "constructed fine buildings hoping to live forever." The Prophet Hud (peace be upon him), one of the past prophets, warned the people of 'Ad against this mode of ignorance, as stated below:

When their brother Hud said to them, "Will you not do your duty?
I am a faithful Messenger to you, so heed Allah and obey me.
I do not ask you for any wage for it. My wage is the responsibility of no one but the Lord of all the worlds.
Do you build a tower on every hilltop, just to amuse yourselves,
and construct fine buildings, hoping to live for ever,
and when you attack, attack as tyrants do?
So heed Allah and obey me."
(Surat ash-Shu'ara': 124-131)

The mistake these godless people committed was not the construction of fine buildings. Muslims also give importance to art; by producing it, they try to beautify the world. The difference lies in intention. A Muslim is interested in art to the extent that it expresses the beauty and esthetic notions that Allah has given to human beings. Godless people are mistaken in regarding art as a way to immortality.

The Scientific Incongruity of Denying the Soul

Prof. Penrose maintains that materialism can never account for the human mind.

The Masons' denial of the existence of spirit, and their claim that human consciousness is composed of matter, are not in accord with science. On the contrary, modern scientific discoveries demonstrate that human consciousness cannot be reduced to matter, and that consciousness cannot be explained in terms of the functions of the brain.

A look at the relevant literature shows that scientists have reached no conclusion as a result of their efforts, spurred on by materialist belief, to reduce consciousness to the brain, and many have ultimately given up. Today, many researchers are of the opinion that human consciousness comes from an unknown source beyond the neurons in the brain and the molecules and atoms that form them.

After years of study, one of these researchers, Wilder Penfield, reached the conclusion that the existence of spirit is an undeniable fact:

After years of striving to explain the mind on the basis of brain-action alone, I have come to the conclusion that it is simpler (and far easier to be logical) if one adopts the hypothesis that our being does consist of two fundamental elements [brain and mind (or soul)]. …Because it seems to be certain that it will always be quite impossible to explain the mind on the basis of neuronal action within the brain… I am forced to choose the proposition that our being is to be explained on the basis of two fundamental elements." [brain and mind, or body and soul] 86

What leads scientists to this conclusion is the fact that consciousness can never be described in terms of material factors alone. The human brain is like a marvelous computer, in which information from our five senses are collected and processed. But, this computer does not have a sense of "self"; it cannot conceive, feel or think about the sensations that it receives. The prominent English physicist, Roger Penrose, in his book The Emperor's New Mind, writes:

What is it that gives a particular person his individual identity? Is it, to some extent, the very atoms that compose his body? Is his identity dependent upon the particular choice of electrons, protons, and other particles that compose those atoms? There are at least two reasons why this cannot be so. In the first place, there is a continual turnover in the material of any living person's body. This applies in particular to the cells in a person's brain, despite the fact that no new actual brain cells are produced after birth. The vast majority of atoms in each living cell (including each brain cell)—and, indeed, virtually the entire material of our bodies—has been replaced many times since birth. The second reason comes from quantum physics…If an electron in a person's brain were to be exchanged with an electron in a brick, then the state of the system would be exactly the same state as it was before, not merely indistinguishable from it! The same holds for protons and for any other kind of particle, and for whole atoms, molecules, etc. If the entire material content of a person were to be exchanged with corresponding particles in the bricks of his house then, in a strong sense, nothing would have happened whatsoever.87

Penrose clearly says that, even if all human atoms were exchanged with brick atoms, the qualities that make a human being conscious would remain completely the same. Or we could think of it conversely. If we exchanged the particles of the atoms in the brain with the atoms in bricks, the bricks would not become conscious.

In short, what makes human beings human is not a material quality; it is a spiritual one, and it is clear that its source is an entity apart from matter. In the conclusion of his book, Penrose comments:

Consciousness seems to me to be such an important phenomenon that I simply cannot believe that it is something just "accidentally" conjured up by a complicated computation. It is the phenomenon whereby the universe's very existence is made known.88

What is materialism's standpoint, then, in light of these findings? How can materialists claim that human beings are composed only of matter, and that a human being with intelligence, feelings, thoughts, memory and senses, could come to be by the chance composition of lifeless, unconscious atoms? How can they possibly think that such a process is possible?

These questions concern all materialists. But, on these topics, Masonic writings contain ideas still more curious than anything found among the writings of materialists. When we look at these writings, we see clearly that behind the materialist philosophy lies the "worship of matter."

Masonic Materialism: The Divinization of Matter

Materialism believes in the creative ability of lifeless and unconscious matter. In other words, it turns matter into an idol. Masons believe that atoms have spirit and openly admit to their belief in such a superstition.

It is necessary to understand clearly what the materialist philosophy is: Those who espouse this philosophy believe that the great order and balance of the universe, and the millions of species of living things in the world, including human beings, came about only by the activity of the atoms that comprise matter. In other words, they think that lifeless and unconscious atoms are creators (Surely Allah is beyond that).

No matter how modern this idea may seem, it is, in fact, a reemergence of a corrupt belief that has existed since the earliest ages of history: Idolatry. Those who worshipped idols believed that the statues and totems they worshipped had spirit and power. In other words, they attributed consciousness and great power to lifeless, unconscious matter. Surely, this is obviously nonsensical. In the Qur'an, Allah refers to the irrationality of paganism. In the stories of the Prophets, the spuriousness of pagan beliefs is especially emphasized. For example, it is revealed in a Qur'anic verse that the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) asked his father, "Father, why do you worship what can neither hear nor see and is not of any use to you at all?"(Surah Maryam: 42) It is clear that, to attribute divinity to lifeless matter, that cannot hear or see, and has no power, is evidently very foolish.

Materialists are modern examples of idolaters. They do not worship statues and totems made of wood and stone, but believe in the idea that matter constitutes, not only these, but all bodies, and think that this matter has limitless power, intelligence and knowledge. Masonic writings have some interesting things to say about this, because Masons openly confess this pagan belief, which is the essence of materialism. An article in Mimar Sinan magazine declares:

In order for a material object to come to be, atoms come together in a certain order. The force that causes this organization is the spirit possessed by each atom. Because every spirit is a consciousness, every created thing is an intelligent consciousness. And every created thing is intelligent to the same degree. A human being, an animal, a bacterium and a molecule are all intelligent to the same degree.89

We notice that it is claimed here that every atom has intelligence and consciousness. The Masonic writer making this claim proposes that every thing has consciousness because of the atoms it possesses and, because he rejects the existence of the human spirit, he regards a human being as a mass of atoms, just like an animal or lifeless molecules.

However, the fact is this: lifeless matter (atoms) has no spirit, consciousness or intelligence. This is a fact proved to us by both observation and experiment. Only living things have consciousness, which is the result of the "soul" that Allah has given to them. Of all living things, human beings are benefited with the highest degree of consciousness because they possess a unique spirit that Allah has given to them.

In other words, consciousness is not found in lifeless matter, as the Masons believe, but in beings that have spirit. But, in order not to accept the existence of Allah, Masons resort to the foolish belief that attributes "spirit" to atoms.

This materialist belief espoused by Masons is a new expression of a pagan belief called "animism," which supposes that every material thing in nature (rocks, mountains, winds, water, etc.) has its own spirit and consciousness. The Greek philosopher Aristotle combined this belief with materialism (the belief that matter is uncreated and is the only absolute) and even today, the attribution of consciousness to lifeless things—being the essence of materialism—has become a kind of contemporary paganism.

Masonic writings are full of interesting accounts of this belief. An article in Mimar Sinan entitled "The Way of Truth" maintains:

If we accept the animist hierarchy that spirit exists in an atom, that a molecule directs the spirit in an atom, that a cell directs the spirit in a molecule, that an organ directs the spirit in a cell, is not the main spirit that directs the whole body the god of these lesser spirits?90

This false and primitive doctrine leads Masons to believe that the balance and order in the universe is effected by lifeless matter. Again, in Mimar Sinan, an article has appeared about the world's geological development. It states:

This surface deterioration occurs so subtly that we can say that the present state of life has been attained as a result of this hidden intelligence in magma. If this were not so, water would not collect in hollows and the earth would be completely covered by water.91

Another article in the magazine Mimar Sinan claims that the first living cells, and those that multiplied from them, were conscious, formed a plan and implemented it:

The beginning of life on earth happened when a single cell came to be. This single cell immediately began to move and, under a vital and truly rebellious impulse, divided in two and continued along this path of infinite division. But these separated cells perceive no purpose to their wandering and, as if fearing this wandering and under a powerful instinctive drive of self-preservation, these separated cells co-operate among themselves, come together and work in a total democratic harmony and self-sacrifice in the creation of those organs critical for life.92

But, contrary to what is asserted in this quotation, there is no consciousness in a living cell. To believe this is nothing but superstition. Again, as we see in the above quotation, in order to deny the existence and creative activity of Allah, they attribute farcical attributes to atoms, molecules and cells, such as intelligence, the ability to plan, self-sacrifice and even "democratic harmony." Just as it is nonsense to say of the creation of an oil painting that "the paints ordered themselves together according to a plan, and proceeded democratically and in harmony," so the Masons' claim about the origin of life is nonsense.

Another common expression of the superstitious tenets of Masonry and its materialism is the notion of "Mother Nature." We encounter this expression in documentary films, books, magazines and even commercials; it is used to express the belief that the lifeless matter that composes nature (nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, etc.) has a conscious power, and that it has by itself created human beings and all living things. This myth is not based on observation or logical reasoning, but is intended to win people over by means of mass indoctrination. The purpose is for people to forget Allah, the real Creator, turning instead to paganism, in which "nature" is regarded as the creator.

Masonry strives to give shape to this creed, strengthen and disseminate it, and supports all social forces that it regards as being its allies. An article in Mimar Sinan, entitled "Thoughts About The Concept and the Evolution of Solidarity from the Scientific Point of View," speaks of the "mysterious harmony that mother nature has ordered" and states that this is the basis of Masonry's humanist philosophy. It further states that Masonry will support those movements that espouse this philosophy:

When it considers from the point of view of the material give and take in the world of living things, that beneficial microbes which live on the earth and within us, all plants, animals and human beings exist in a mysterious harmony ordered by mother nature, and that they are continually engaged in an organic solidarity, I want to affirm once again that Masonry will regard every kind of psycho-social movement dedicated to well-being, peace, security and happiness, in short, every movement that is on the road to humanism and the universal unity of humanity, as means and actions that advance its own ideals.93

The most important of those "means and actions" which "advance the ideals of Masonry" is the purportedly scientifically based theory of evolution, the modern support for materialism and humanism.

In the next chapter we will take a closer look to the theory of evolution from Darwin's time to modern evolutionist propaganda, and we will discover the secret relationship of Masonry to this greatest scientific error of all time.

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